The Western Sahara, the territory on the Northwest coast of Africa which is sometimes called ‘Africa’s Last Colony’ due to its listing by the UN as a non-decolonized territory, has had an extremely turbulent year. From escalating violence in the South of the territory to diplomatic fights over international recognition,
▶︎ Ordered Chaos: A Conversation on Italian Politics
This episode is an outline regarding the instability of the Italian government, the domestic role of Mario Draghi and the European perspective on his potential leadership role in the post-Merkel era. Panel: Sanjin Alagic, Andrea Bottazzi & Luca Bottazzi Listen here: Produced by: Sanjin Alagic
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Fuelled the Fire of New Conspiracy Theories
Since the storming of the U.S. Capitol, QAnon has flourished as a widely-known conspiracy theorist cult. Its followers believe that paedophiles control media and politics and that a deep state – where a hidden government rules over the legitimate elected body – has been created in the United States. They
Eurovision: Politics Seeps In
On 18 May 2019, Duncan Laurence lifted the Eurovision trophy for the Netherlands. His ballad Arcade gave the Dutch their first win in forty-four years. The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) might have been hoping for a quieter contest in Rotterdam – but it looks set to be anything but. The
Rap, threats, and freedom of expression
On the 3rd of March 2021, the Swedish supreme court ruled that the musician and rapper Frej Larsson would not be convicted for threatening a public servant in his song “Då ska hon skjutas” (Eng.: “Then, she will be shot”). The song includes explicitly threatening lyrics about specific police officers,
Germany’s Super Election Year – What comes after Merkel?
Simon Varwell, Flickr The pandemic might have eclipsed some important upcoming political events, but with only six months left until the parliamentary elections to the German Bundestag, tension is mounting in Germany and amongst curious onlookers. The parliamentary elections on September 26th, 2021 will not only lead to a new
“Workers of the world, unite!” – A Look at Trade Unions in the EU
Terence McCormack, Flickr For many decades now, “workers” – or employees – have been organising themselves in unions in order to campaign for better working conditions. Today, trade unions are perceived by many as somewhat distant and top-down. It is sometimes unclear what their aims are and it can feel
Gibraltar urges London to “cancel Brexit”
Keep calm and carry on. Despite being easier said than done, that is exactly what the small British territory of Gibraltar is doing. With Brexit potentially jeopardizing their national identity, existential threats from Spain, and monkeys running wild, Gibraltar has nevertheless been out of the spotlight. The Perspective reports from
▶︎ Brexit – Who is in deep water here?
Getting Brexit done? Shortly before the expiration date of the transition period on 31 December 2020, we take a closer look at the ongoing negotiations about the future relationship between the EU and the UK. Producers: Samuel Hederen and Torge Hildebrandt
▶︎ Coping with Covid – The Global Economy
Worst time in a hundred years to be graduating from the university? Apart from the obvious health issues that have arisen due to the Covid-19 virus, it has also dealt a huge blow the global economy, and forced various responses from many countries. This episode of The Perspective podcast is